The Staying Guest

dybird, and heard the key click in the lock, they

would open. But it would not open, of course, being locked, and the good lady, almost stupefied with

d apprehensive "Well!" and then the two si

a spoke fir

perhaps it is our duty to gi

ep such a vixen as that in our house? No! I confess I had some such thought du

course she can't stay after this; but s

are you talking about? Do you call it affec

ause she wants to stay here. I don't

ant to think any

aring defeated; and, indeed, she would have stayed quietly in that room all day rather th

de it. She fluttered about the room, looked out of the window, tried the door-

urst open and Ladyb

e house is on fire! What

from the room, "let me get my Lady Washingt

" said Ladybird, dancing a

uth-room window; but you can't g

ready half-way up-stairs; "I'll get

hief," called the distracted lady. "And get som

rolled into the hall thr

atthew's fa

face appeared in th

bley; but we've put it out. But if the little lady hadn't been afther runnin' down an' tel

sure the fire is all o

ld have burned up but for that

n' I'll jist open the windie

Ladybird; it's all right now." And in a

ef on your bureau, Aunt Dorinda; but I brought both your smell-salts bottles, 'cau

e, and her sympathy so sincere, that Miss Priscilla, who was unaccustomed to such attentions,

e felt more composed, Miss Priscilla Flint determined

said in a tone

me that; it makes me fe

but I am in no way inclined to take you into my home for that reason. You have some kind and winning ways, but you appear to

y, there was nothing else to do. Why, if you had been out on the veranda when my trunks came, you would have sent them

iss, but you will find that Priscil

hat isn't it. I'm just going to stay here and

keep her a week on trial,"

ything timidly. In this respe

to write a note to Mr. Marks, and tell him to come back at once for her and her trunks. So,

me as if I would stay here years and years, until I get to be a dear old lady like you," and she patted the

going aw

stay and st

eeing a letter on the hall-table addressed to Mr. Marks,

e Flint ladies laughed and chatted over their luncheon, so

ll for you at thre

child, "because I tore up that letter

iss Priscilla. "

he'd got that letter he would have come, and I don't w

in an ominous voice, and snappin

iage went down toward the village, and inside

to get his wagon and follow her home at once,

s morning?" exclaimed the old countryman.

hind Miss Priscilla Flint; and when they reached the

iscilla called in vain. Then Miss Dorinda called. Then they went u

s were all around: on the bed, on the bureaus, on the chairs, a

scilla called

somewhere," she explained

e began systematically to searc

k his old he

was a spookish piece, an' the likes of her flies up

around the room, and in doing so noticed

to Miss Prisci

y, Do not l

t man away, I'll s

iscilla, "what can I

find Ladybird until that strange being was ready to be found; but she

, and Mr. Marks declared he couldn't wait any long

it was five o'clock, and still

it to each other, the Flint l

Miss Dor

e'd do anything ras

t what she does is never anything but rash. However, I don't think she has dr

nt, and somehow she was not very m

den impulse of determination such as she had never known i

e worse than infidels, and we have no right to turn away our kin. Your dislike of visitors has nothing to do with the matter. The child is not a visitor, as she says herself. And it makes no difference what kind of a child she is: she is our sister's daughter, and we are bound by every l

had never spoken like this before, and it seemed as if the spi

unusual manner, Miss Priscilla pro

burst into tears; and the times in her life when M

htened at what she had done, and

all along,-and I suppose we shall have to keep her. Father would have wished it so